Seam inspection device

Abstract

A seam inspection device includes an imaging device and a processing device. The imaging device shoots a sewing object supported by a throat plate of a sewing machine and having seams formed therein. And the processing device detects an abnormality of the seam based on an image of the sewing object acquired by the imaging device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A seam inspection device comprising:
 a camera that shoots a sewing object supported by a throat plate of a sewing machine and having seams formed therein; and 
 a computer including a memory that stores instructions, and a central processing unit configured to execute the instructions to perform a method including:
 acquiring an image of the sewing object from the camera that shoots the sewing object; 
 performing image processing on the acquired image; 
 calculating a detected feature amount of the seam, wherein the detected feature amount includes an area defined on a surface of the sewing object by the seams; 
 storing a reference feature amount of the seam in a reference feature amount storage unit, wherein the reference feature amount includes an abnormal area greater than a normal area defined on the surface of the sewing object by the seams; and 
 detecting an abnormality of the seams based on the acquired image of the sewing object by determining whether there is a pattern of abnormality of the seam by collating the detected feature amount with the stored reference feature amount, 
 wherein determining whether there is the pattern of abnormality of the at least one seam includes determining whether the abnormality is a third pattern in which a sewing thread becomes slack on the surface of the sewing object. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The seam inspection device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the detected feature amount includes a length of the seam, 
 wherein the reference feature amount includes an abnormal length longer than a normal length of the seam, and 
 wherein determining whether there is the pattern of abnormality of the at least one seam includes determining whether the abnormality is a first pattern in which the length of at least one seam increases. 
 
     
     
       3. The seam inspection device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the detected feature amount includes a width of the seam, 
 wherein the reference feature amount includes an abnormal width wider than a normal width of the seam, and 
 wherein determining whether there is the pattern of abnormality of the at least one seam includes determining whether the abnormality is a second pattern in which the width of at least a part of the seams increases. 
 
     
     
       4. The seam inspection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the detected feature amount includes a length of the seam,
 wherein the reference feature amount includes a normal length of the seam, and 
 wherein determining whether there is the pattern of abnormality of the at least one seam includes determining whether the abnormality is a fourth pattern in which the length of the seam changes. 
 
     
     
       5. The seam inspection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the camera shoots the sewing object from an inclination direction with respect to a normal line of an upper surface of the throat plate. 
     
     
       6. The seam inspection device according to  claim 1 , wherein the camera includes an optical system and a rolling shutter type image sensor, the rolling shutter type image sensor includes a plurality of lines which respectively have a plurality of light receiving elements disposed in a line direction and are disposed in a scan direction orthogonal to the line direction,
 wherein the sewing machine moves the sewing object in a moving direction and forms the seam, and 
 wherein the camera is installed such that the line direction of the image sensor and the moving direction of the sewing object are parallel to each other. 
 
     
     
       7. The seam inspection device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sewing machine forms the seam while repeatedly moving and stopping the sewing object, and 
 wherein the central processing unit is further configured to execute the instructions to perform the method including:
 determining whether the acquired image is an image acquired during the stop of the sewing object based on a weave of the sewing object, 
 wherein detecting the abnormality of the seam is based on the acquired image acquired during the stop.